FX.co ★ Euro Area Manufacturing Growth Slows to 3-Month Low

The S&P Global Eurozone Manufacturing PMI slipped to 52.4 in October 2026, its lowest reading in three months, down from 52.9 in September and falling short of market expectations of 52.7. Manufacturing employment recorded a slight decline after two consecutive months of growth.

In contrast, input purchasing continued to rise, with growth accelerating to match the joint-fastest pace in nearly four-and-a-half years, equalling the rate seen in April as firms engaged in precautionary stockpiling amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Consequently, manufacturers’ stocks of purchases increased for the first time in almost four years.

At the same time, supplier delivery times lengthened markedly, representing the sharpest deterioration in four months. On the price front, input costs rose sharply in October, driven by higher energy, fuel, and transportation expenses. The increase was the steepest since May and surpassed the average seen so far this year.